78 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



Scotland. It often survives the winter, when its graceful 

 outline and gay tints render it a pleasing herald of spring. 

 It may often be seen vibrating like the petals of the prim- 

 rose it so much resembles in colour, by the side of a sheltered 

 wood. Though I have mentioned this pretty butterfly in 

 the early month in which it frequently makes its appear- 

 ance, yet the first broods are more usually seen in May, and 

 the second in autumn. The caterpillar is long, naked, and 

 of a light green colour, with many black dots on the back, 

 and a pale line down each side ; it feeds on the Prunus 

 spinosa, or Blackthorn. The chrysalis is angular. 



DlPTEBA. 



CULEX. 



Generic Distinctions. Antenna setaceous, of about fourteen 

 joints, which form a tuft in the males ; palpi long ; rostrum long, 

 and enclosing a sucker of five pieces ; wings lying horizontally on 

 the body ; legs long. 



CULEX PIPIENS. (Plate XV.) The Gnat. Body cinereous; 

 wings transparent ; antennae of the male plumose ; length of 

 the insect three lines. The beautiful proboscis of this little 

 creature is well worthy of notice, notwithstanding the pain 

 and uneasiness it causes ; for although it appears to the 



